Just Started Last Week - Period Lasting Longer Than Usual?

I just started taking Lo Loestrin Fe on Thursday, August 6th, on the first day of my period (in case it matters, I'm 18, 5'1", 100 lbs.). Normally, my periods (regular flow in the first 2-3 days, light flow for the remaining days) last exactly a week, with maybe some brownish or slightly red-tinged discharge for a day or two after the actual bleeding stops (I'll wear a liner for that). I stopped bleeding on Thursday, August 13th, right on schedule, but since then I have still been having a brown discharge. Usually, I can tell when I'm going to get my period a day or two before I actually start bleeding because my discharge will become heavier and either brownish or slightly red tinged (two days before) or dark brown and sort of "mucky" (one day before). Well, what I'm experiencing now is just like that, only it's occurring after my period (the actual bleeding) has stopped. Whereas in the days leading up to my period, my discharge is very predictably brownish or slightly red-tinged two days before and mucky brown one day before, the discharge I'm having now changes throughout the day - sometimes there's less of it and it's just brownish or slightly red-tinged, and sometimes it's heavier and it's a mucky brown. It certainly is interesting! I've been wearing liners, and it's definitely *interesting* to see the liner with barely anything on it at one point and then a few hours later to see it covered in brown muck (that being said, I definitely don't want to stop wearing liners for my underwear's sake!). I've never taken hormonal birth control before (in fact, I haven't taken prescription medication since I was taking vitamins when I was little), and I know that Lo Loestrin Fe is known to cause breakthrough bleeding. I also know that it does take a bit of time for your body to adjust to the hormones. My mom - Physician's Assistant to an OB/GYN, her father was an OB/GYN, she's extremely knowledgable and helpful :) - says that I should give it a month before my body is fully adjusted to the hormones; I've also been noticing increased breast tenderness - more tender and longer-lasting (still tender now and it doesn't seem like it will be going away super soon) than what I usually experience during my period - as well as my bras fitting tighter, I assume due to the fact that birth control can tend to enlarge breast size. So, is what I'm experiencing considered "breakthrough bleeding," or is it just my body's way of adjusting to the hormones? Or is it both, incidentally? My apologies for the long message; all answers are much appreciated, thank you!

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Hello, Halley! How are you?

Your mother steered you correctly, but it may actually take about 3 months for things to settle down.

And breakthrough bleeding is your body adjusting to the hormones, they are one and the same, that's why you experience such side effects. Others, as listed by the FDA, may possibly include nausea, dizziness, headache, irritability and weight gain.

Is there anything else I can help with?

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